Portable armrest

Abstract

A portable armrest (100) provides assistance in rising from or descending into a armless sitting device (10) such as a chair, sofa, couch, bench or vehicle seat. Two handles (110, 112) are connected to a base having a shape that allows the user to sit directly on the seating surface (20) of the armless sitting device (10).

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A portable armrest apparatus for assisting a user of an armless sitting device to change from a seated position on a seating surface of the sitting device to a standing position, the apparatus comprising: a relatively flat, one-piece, U-shaped base having a curved rear portion and a pair of spaced, parallel, first and second side portions extending continuously from the curved rear portion, the base being adapted for placing flat on a seating surface with the rear portion adjacent a rear portion of the seating surface, the side portions being spaced apart by a predetermined distance sufficient to leave at least a major portion of the seating surface exposed between the side portions for allowing a user to sit on the seating surface without contacting the base, and the side portions having forward free ends which are spaced apart to provide a front opening to the base;   a first handle projecting upwardly from the first side portion of the base;   a second handle projecting upwardly from the second side portion of the base; and   a flexible base strap of non-metallic material connected across the front opening between the opposite side portions of the base, the base strap comprising means for extending over the top of the seating surface and supporting the base above the seating surface when the base is placed onto the seating surface.   
     
     
       2. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 further comprising: a first hinge connecting the first handle to the base; and   a second hinge connecting the second handle to the base, the first hinge and the second hinge allowing the handles to fold toward the base when the apparatus is not in use.   
     
     
       3. An apparatus in accordance with claims 2 further comprising: a first lock adapted to secure the first handle in an upright position when the apparatus is in use; and   a second lock adapted to secure the second handle in an upright position when the apparatus is in use.   
     
     
       4. portable armrest in accordance with claim 1 wherein the two handles and the base are molded from a single piece of plastic. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base strap is of flexible fabric material. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including a safety strap connected between the first and second side portions at a location spaced rearwardly from the base strap for extending beneath the seating surface to releasably secure the base to the seating surface. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the safety strap is releasably connected to the first and second side portions, whereby the strap may be removed when the apparatus is used in conjunction with a seating surface having a width greater than that of the base. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein the safety strap has a buckle allowing a length of the safety strap to be adjusted. 
     
     
       9. An apparatus comprising: a base adapted to interface to a seating surface, the base shaped to provide an opening exposing the seating surface and having a size allowing a user to sit on the seating surface within the opening when the base interfaces with the seating surface;   a first handle connected to a first portion of the base;   a second handle connected to a second portion of the base, wherein the first handle and the second handle are arranged to assist a user to change from a seated position on the seating surface to a standing position;   a base strap connected across the opening between the first portion of the base and the second portion of the base, the base strap adapted to support the base above the seating surface when the base interfaces with a seating surface having a width smaller than the opening;   a safety strap connected to the base across the opening between the first portion and the second portion of the base, the safety strap adapted to secure the base to the seating surface;   a first hinge connecting the first handle to the base; and   a second hinge connecting the second handle to the base, the first hinge and the second hinge allowing the handles to fold toward the base when the apparatus is not in use.   
     
     
       10. An apparatus in accordance with claim 9 further comprising: a first lock adapted to secure the first handle in an upright position when the apparatus is in use; and   a second lock adapted to secure the second handle in an upright position when the apparatus is in use.   
     
     
       11. A portable armrest for assisting a user of an armless sitting device to change from a seated position on a seating surface of the sitting device to a standing position, the apparatus comprising: a relatively flat curved base having a first portion and a second portion, wherein a first inner face of the first portion faces a second inner face of the second portion, the first portion of the base and the second portion of the base defining an opening between the first inner face and the second inner face, the opening exposing the seating surface to allow the user to sit on the seating surface when the apparatus is attached to the sitting device;   a first handle connected to the first portion of the base;   a second handle connected to the second portion of the base, the first handle and the second handle arranged to assist the user to change from a seated position on the seating surface to a standing position;   a base strap connected across the opening between the first portion of the base and the second portion of the base, the base strap adapted to support the base above the seating surface when the base interfaces with a seating surface having a width smaller than the opening;   a safety strap connected to the base between the first side of the opening and the second side of the opening, the safety strap adapted to secure the base to the seating surface;   a first hinge connecting the first handle to the base; and   a second hinge connecting the second handle to the base, the first hinge and the second hinge allowing the handles to fold toward the base when the apparatus is not in use.   
     
     
       12. A portable armrest in accordance with claim 11 further comprising: a first lock adapted to secure the first handle in an upright position when the apparatus is in use; and   a second lock adapted to secure the second handle in an upright position when the apparatus is in use.   
     
     
       13. A portable armrest in accordance with claim 12 wherein each of the two hinges comprises two hinge subassemblies. 
     
     
       14. A combined seat device and portable armrest assembly for assisting a user of an armless sitting device to change from a seated position on a seating surface of the seat device to a standing position, the assembly comprising: a seat device having a generally horizontal seating surface for supporting a user in a seated position, the seating surface having a forward edge and a rear end;   a relatively flat, one-piece, U-shaped base having a curved rear portion, a pair of spaced, parallel, first and second side portions, and a front opening, the base being placed flat on the seating surface with the rear portion adjacent the rear end of the seating surface and the front opening adjacent the front edge of the seating surface;   the side portions of the base being spaced apart by a predetermined distance sufficient to leave at least a major portion of the seating surface exposed between the side portions for allowing a user to sit on the seating surface without contacting the base, the side portions having forward free ends which are spaced apart to provide the front opening to the base;   a first handle projecting upwardly from the first side portion of the base;   a second handle projecting upwardly from the second side portion of the base; and   a flexible base strap of non-metallic material connected across the front opening between the opposite side portions of the base and resting on top of the seating surface, the base strap comprising means for supporting the base above the seating surface when the base is placed onto the seating surface.   
     
     
       15. The assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the seat device has a lower surface and opposite side edges, and the base includes a safety strap connected between the first and second side portions at a location spaced rearwardly from the base strap, the safety strap extending from the first side portion around one side edge of the seat device, under the lower surface, and around the opposite side edge to the second side portion to releasably secure the base to the seating surface.